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Authorities recently declined to file sexual assault charges against Nelly after a woman accused him of rape in October, and now the singer is planning to pursue legal action to clear his name, his lawyer tells PEOPLE exclusively.

“The formal close of the investigation into the false allegations made against Nelly is of course welcome — however expected. We were confident that what our investigation revealed from the outset of this allegation would ultimately be clear and Nelly would be vindicated,” says attorney Scott Rosenblum in a statement. “A thorough investigation did show Nelly was a victim of deceitful allegation devoid of credibility. Credible evidence did show this accuser to be deceptive. We have been in constant communication with the King County authorities and welcomed and appreciated the diligence in which the authorities proceeded leaving no stone unturned.”

“Nelly recognizes the need for women who are victims of sexual assault of any kind to be heard and our existing systems changed. Nelly supports various women’s advocacy groups that deal with sexual assault and violence against women and is dedicated to raising awareness and furthering the conversation to bring about necessary changes. However, this type of reckless false allegation cannot be tolerated as it is an affront to the real survivors of sexual assault,” continues the statement.

Nelly has suffered very real damage to his reputation. He has incurred economic loss and painfully has watched his family suffer. As a result Nelly is planning to proceed with litigation as the first step in restoring his reputation,” concludes the statement. The accuser’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.